1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communication, and more specifically, to a system for facilitating wireless communication connections between configurable radio devices.
2. Background
Wireless apparatuses continue to proliferate in the global marketplace due to technological improvement in both the quality of communication and device functionality. These wireless communication devices (WCDs) have become common for both personal and business use, allowing users to transmit and receive voice, text and graphical data from a multitude of geographic locations. Communication networks usable by these devices may span different frequencies and transmission distances.
For example, cellular networks may facilitate WCD communication over large geographic areas. These technologies are commonly divided by generation, starting in the 1970s-1980s with first generation (1G) analog cellular telephones that provided baseline voice communication, to modern digital handsets. GSM is an example of a widely employed 2G digital cellular network communicating in the 900 MHZ/1.8 GHZ bands in Europe and at 850 MHz and 1.9 GHZ in the United States. GSM provides voice communication and supports text transmission via the Short Messaging Service (SMS). SMS may transmit and receive text messages of up to 160 characters, while providing data transfer to packet networks, ISDN and POTS users at 9.6 Kbps, while Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) allows for the transmission of sound, graphics and video files in addition to simple text. Emerging technologies such as Digital Video Broadcasting for Handheld Devices (DVB-H) will make streaming digital video, and other similar content, available for direct transmission to a WCD. While long-range communication networks are a well-accepted means for transmitting and receiving data, due to cost, traffic and legislative concerns, these networks may not be appropriate for all data applications.
Short-range wireless networks may provide communication solutions that avoid some of the problems seen in large cellular networks. Bluetooth™ is an example of a short-range wireless technology quickly gaining acceptance in the marketplace. A 1 Mbps Bluetooth™ radio may transmit and receives data at a rate of 720 Kbps within a range of 10 meters, and may transmit up to 100 meters with additional power boosting. Enhanced data rate (EDR) technology also available may enable maximum asymmetric data rates of 1448 Kbps for a 2 Mbps connection and 2178 Kbps for a 3 Mbps connection. A plurality of devices within operating range of each other may automatically form a network group called a “piconet”. Any apparatus may promote itself to the master of the piconet, allowing it to control data exchanges with up to seven “active” slaves and 255 “parked” slaves. Active slaves may exchange data based on the clock timing of the master, while parked slaves monitor a beacon signal in order to stay synchronized with the master. These apparatuses may continually switch between active communication and power saving modes in order to transmit data to other piconet members. In addition to Bluetooth™ other popular short-range wireless networks include WLAN (of which “Wi-Fi” local access points communicating in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard, is an example), WUSB, UWB, ZigBee (802.15.4, 802.15.4a), and UHF RFID.
Manufacturers may also incorporate resources for providing enhanced functionality in WCDs (e.g., components and/or software for performing close-proximity wireless communication). Sensors, scanners, etc. may be utilized to read visual or electronic information into an apparatus. In an example transaction, users may hold their WCD in proximity to a target, aiming their WCD at an object (e.g., to take a picture) or sweeping the device over a printed tag or document to obtain information. These technologies include machine-readable mediums such as radio frequency identification (RFID), Infra-red (IR) communication, optical character recognition (OCR) and various other types of visual, electronic and magnetic scanning that may be utilized to quickly input desired information into the WCD without the need for manual entry by a user.
These examples of additional communication functionality may be implemented in apparatuses utilizing various combinations of hardware and/or software. For instance, one or more functions that were previously handled by discrete components (e.g., hardware-based wireless radios) may be handled by more generic software-driven processes. Moreover, the ability to reconfigure software-based modules during runtime may, in some instances, allow a software-based solution to emulate the functionality of multiple traditional hardware modules. The ability to implement flexible configuration may allow one or more hardware components to be omitted from an apparatus in favor of a software-based solution that is configurable to perform the same or similar function, while being more efficient in terms of power, space, etc.
However, problems can also spawn from the ability to reconfigure software-based modules during runtime. The runtime flexibility of software-driven solutions, while beneficial, can also increase the potential for negatively impacting (e.g., interfering with) other processes also occurring on the executing apparatus, on another apparatus with which communication is desired, etc. Further, software-based solutions must be able to interact with older discrete implementations by accounting for the limitations inherent in these hardware-based solutions.